Thursday 26th March 2009

Well our first couple of days in Australia have started on a high – and how much higher can you get than standing at the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge (yes, that’s right – at the apex of the coat hanger up there with the flags and the flashing red aircraft warning light). Paul had at the top of his wish list the Sydney Harbour Bridge climb, where, wearing Star-trek style overalls and attached to a wire by a lanyard and latch (so there’s no way you can fall off!) you make your way up by the riggers route to the top of the arch, some 135m above the boats in the harbour below and some 70m above the eight lanes of traffic and railway line crossing the bridge. With my love of heights it was rather more of a challenge but I got there and it’s surprising how once you are up there the views take over and you hardly think about the void below. We chose the twilight climb where you go up in daylight at around 5pm and watch the light fade to the west whilst the city starts to light up the sky. We had the bonus of a spectacular electrical storm to the west, in fact the storm got close enough to the city for the next group to be evacuated. Sadly, you can’t take a camera – in case it drops on the cars below and causes an accident. We did buy the official photos of us two up there though – so can prove we did it! The hectic, brash city of Sydney was a bit of an awakening after NZ. When we left the airport the humidity was a bit of a shock – almost felt like Bangkok again. However, the efficiency of officialdom & transport meant that one hour after landing we had cleared immigration and customs, hopped on a shuttle bus and were checked into Sydney Central YHA. Ten minutes later we were on the 9th floor rooftop terrace of the hostel downing the welcome Kangaroo Burger (well you have to; a bit like beef but more chewy) and beer. We spent yesterday visiting the major sights – the Harbour Bridge, the Opera House and a walk in the Botanical Gardens. We took a ferry across to Manly and swam in the Western end of the Tasman Sea. Perishing! We also visited Sydney Observatory; the displays about the Transit of Venus were fascinating - the recording of which was the purpose of Cooks first visit here in 1769 – and we were able to have a look at the sun through the telescope there. Tomorrow we leave the city and head west to the Blue Mountains.